"HARRY FENTON SMITH, who came to Martinsburg as manager of the Western Union telegraph office and has remained in the city and become extensively interested in horticulture and other business affairs, is a member of a very old American family and has an interesting lineage.
He was born in Frederick County, Maryland. His father, David Miller Smith, was born near Sharpsburg, Washington County, Maryland, August 26, 1833. The grandfather was Capt. David Smith, who was born near Sharpsburg, January 5, 1796. The great-grandfather was George Smith, born December 21, 1767, near Sharpsburg, and his father was George Smith, Sr., born in the same neighborhood about 1744. The father of George Smith, Sr., was founder of this branch of the family in America and was named Joseph Smith. He was a native of England, and came to America with his brother James. They settled in Washington County, Maryland. In 1749 Joseph Smith patented tracts of land known as Elwicks dwellings and Smith's purchase, the two embracing 325 acres. His son George Smith bought property in Sharpsburg in 1765, lived there, and his will was probated in Hagerstown in 1792. George Smith, Jr., inherited part of his father's estate. On September 4, 1787, he married Julia von Miller, the name being originally spelled Muller. She was born near Sharpsburg March 13, 1771, daughter of David and Catherine (Fleck) von Miller, and sister of Col. John Miller, an officer in the United States Army in the War of 1812, and also in the Maryland State Militia. George Smith, Jr., died March 3, 1834, and his wife, on June 3, 1852. Their six children were Joseph, Catherine, Rebecca, David, Sarah, Elizabeth.
Capt. David Smith, grandfather of Harry Fenton, owned and operated a farm close to Antietam Station, near the famous battle field of Antietam. He entered the State Militia in his youth, was in the War of 1812 and was commissioned a captain. Late in life he removed to Sharpsburg, and died there August 7, 1869. On September 3, 1820, he married Ann Maria Rohr, who was born in Frederick County, Maryland, August 3, 1797, daughter of Jacob Rohr, Jr., and granddaughter of Jacob Rohr, Sr., who came to America in 1731 and settled in Frederick County, Maryland.
Jacob Rohr, Jr., was postmaster of Fredericksburg for several years, and lived there until his death. Capt. David Smith and wife reared four children, named Frisby R., born November 26, 1824, and who became a physician; Joseph Chester, born June 8, 1828; David Miller, born August 26, 1833; and Grafton Finley, who became a druggist.
David Miller Smith was educated at Sharpsburg and the academy at Frederick, was admitted to the bar when a young man and practiced law, and also became one of the owners and editors of the Frederick Examiner and later established the Frederick Times. He was a staunch Union man and republican, and tried to enlist at the first call for troops to cut down the rebellion, but on account of a disabled arm was not accepted. He died July 1, 1895, and was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Maryland. On October 25, 1865, he married Mary Ellen Piper. She was born at Piper's farm, upon which the battle of Antietam was fought on November 7, 1842, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Keedy) Piper, both of whom were born near Sharpsburg. Henry Piper was a son of Daniel and Martha (Brown) Piper, and Daniel was born in Washington County, Maryland, son of Johann Pfeiffer, a native of Holland, who came to America with his brother Jacob in 1763. Johann Pfeiffer was a private during the Revolutionary war in Capt. William Heyser's company of a German battalion commanded by Col. N. Houssegger, with which he entered the service December 6, 1776. Mrs. David Miller Smith is still living, at the old home at Sharpsburg. She reared three sons: Malcolm Victor, Harry Fenton and Louis Roman.
Harry Fenton Smith attended public school in Sharpsburg, and at the age of fourteen became a messenger with the Western Union Telegraph Company. He soon learned telegraphy, was an operator at Hagerstown and in 1890 came to Martinsburg as manager of the local office of that company. He remained in this service for over twenty years, resigning in 1912, and since then has given his time to farming and horticulture. He has two farms in Hedgesville District and one in Fallen Waters District, and on one farm he has seventeen acres of orchard and fourteen acres on another.
In 1899 he married Hannah Orrick Wever, who was born in Martinsburg."
Harry Fenton Smith married Hannah Orrick Weaver, daughter of Charles Jacob Weaver CSA and Frances Arabella Snodgrass, in 1899 at Martinsburg, Berkeley County, WV.
He was the subject of the following sketch at The History of West Virginia, Old and New, Volume II, page 180,:
HARRY FENTON SMITH, who came to Martinsburg as manager of the Western Union telegraph office and has remained in the city and become extensively interested in horticulture and other business affairs, is a member of a very old American family and has an interesting lineage.
He was born in Frederick County, Maryland. His father, David Miller Smith, was born near Sharpsburg, Washington County, Maryland, August 26, 1833. The grandfather was Capt. David Smith, who was born near Sharpsburg, January 5, 1796. The great-grandfather was George Smith, born December 21, 1767, near Sharpsburg, and his father was George Smith, Sr., born in the same neighborhood about 1744. The father of George Smith, Sr., was founder of this branch of the family in America and was named Joseph Smith. He was a native of England, and came to America with his brother James. They settled in Washington County, Maryland. In 1749 Joseph Smith patented tracts of land known as Elwicks dwellings and Smith's purchase, the two embracing 325 acres. His son George Smith bought property in Sharpsburg in 1765, lived there, and his will was probated in Hagerstown in 1792. George Smith, Jr., inherited part of his father's estate. On September 4, 1787, he married Julia von Miller, the name being originally spelled Muller. She was born near Sharpsburg March 13, 1771, daughter of David and Catherine (Fleck) von Miller, and sister of Col. John Miller, an officer in the United States Army in the War of 1812, and also in the Maryland State Militia. George Smith, Jr., died March 3, 1834, and his wife, on June 3, 1852. Their six children were Joseph, Catherine, Rebecca, David, Sarah, Elizabeth.
Capt. David Smith, grandfather of Harry Fenton, owned and operated a farm close to Antietam Station, near the famous battle field of Antietam. He entered the State Militia in his youth, was in the War of 1812 and was commissioned a captain. Late in life he removed to Sharpsburg, and died there August 7, 1869. On September 3, 1820, he married Ann Maria Rohr, who was born in Frederick County, Maryland, August 3, 1797, daughter of Jacob Rohr, Jr., and granddaughter of Jacob Rohr, Sr., who came to America in 1731 and settled in Frederick County, Maryland.
Jacob Rohr, Jr., was postmaster of Fredericksburg for several years, and lived there until his death. Capt. David Smith and wife reared four children, named Frisby R., born November 26, 1824, and who became a physician; Joseph Chester, born June 8, 1828; David Miller, born August 26, 1833; and Grafton Finley, who became a druggist.
David Miller Smith was educated at Sharpsburg and the academy at Frederick, was admitted to the bar when a young man and practiced law, and also became one of the owners and editors of the Frederick Examiner and later established the Frederick Times. He was a staunch Union man and republican, and tried to enlist at the first call for troops to cut down the rebellion, but on account of a disabled arm was not accepted. He died July 1, 1895, and was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Maryland. On October 25, 1865, he married Mary Ellen Piper. She was born at Piper's farm, upon which the battle of Antietam was fought on November 7, 1842, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Keedy) Piper, both of whom were born near Sharpsburg. Henry Piper was a son of Daniel and Martha (Brown) Piper, and Daniel was born in Washington County, Maryland, son of Johann Pfeiffer, a native of Holland, who came to America with his brother Jacob in 1763. Johann Pfeiffer was a private during the Revolutionary war in Capt. William Heyser's company of a German battalion commanded by Col. N. Houssegger, with which he entered the service December 6, 1776. Mrs. David Miller Smith is still living, at the old home at Sharpsburg. She reared three sons: Malcolm Victor, Harry Fenton and Louis Roman.
Harry Fenton Smith attended public school in Sharpsburg, and at the age of fourteen became a messenger with the Western Union Telegraph Company. He soon learned telegraphy, was an operator at Hagerstown and in 1890 came to Martinsburg as manager of the local office of that company. He remained in this service for over twenty years, resigning in 1912, and since then has given his time to farming and horticulture. He has two farms in Hedgesville District and one in Fallen Waters District, and on one farm he has seventeen acres of orchard and fourteen acres on another.
In 1899 he married Hannah Orrick Wever, who was born in Martinsburg. Her father, Charles J. Wever, was born on a farm nearby in 1837. Her grandfather, Casper Wever, was born in Berkeley County, December 14, 1791. Her great-grandfather Jacob Wever, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, son of Sergeant Casper Wever, who came from the vicinity of Hamburg, Germany, to America in Colonial times and married Catherine LeFevre, a French Huguenot. Jacob Wever was a pioneer settler in Berkeley County, purchasing a large amount of land, which he later operated with slaves. His residence was known as Maple Home and was located on Warm Springs Road.
Jacob Wever married Hannah Cromwell Orrick, daughter of Charles and Catherine (Davenport) Orrick and granddaughter of Capt. Nicholas and Hannah (Cromwell) Orrick. Nicholas Orrick was a son of John and Susannah (Hammond) Orrick and a grandson of James and Mary Ourrouch, who came to America in 1665 and patented land in Ann Arundel County, Maryland. Susannah Hammond was the daughter of Col. Thomas and Rebecca (Larkin) Hammond and granddaughter of Maj.-Gen. John and Mary (Howard) Hammond. Charles J. Wever, father of Mrs. Smith, entered the Confederate army at the beginning of the war in Company B, of the First Virginia Cavalry, and was in service until captured by the enemy and spent the last months of the war in a prison in New Jersey. While in the service he was accidentally wounded. After the war he farmed the old homestead in Berkeley County until his death on March 14, 1878. He married Frances Arabella Snodgrass, who was born in Berkeley, daughter of Col. Robert Verdin and Sarah Ann Snodgrass, a granddaughter of Robert and Susannah (Rawlings) Snodgrass and a lineal descendant of William and Catherine (Patterson) Snodgrass, natives of Scotland and founders of the Snodgrass family in America. Susanna Rawlings was a daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (Tyler) Rawlings, Elizabeth Tyler being of the same family as President John Tyler.
Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the first being Ellen Orrick, who died in infancy. Their daughter Hannah Cromwell is now a student in high school. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Trinity Episcopal Church. He is affiliated with Eureka Lodge No. 105, A. F. and A. M., Martinsburg Lodge of Perfection No. 7, of the Scottish Rite, and Mrs. Smith is a member of the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
|
An Arkansas Connection ...